Prime accused in Chhattisgarh journalist murder case arrested from Hyderabad

Suresh Chandrakar, the main accused in the murder of a journalist in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, has been arrested from Hyderabad by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), police said on Jan 6.

The accused, a contractor by profession, was absconding since the murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar came to light on Jan 3, they said.

The SIT, constituted to conduct the probe into the murder case, rounded up Suresh Chandrakar from Hyderabad late Jan 5 night, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said.

The accused was brought to Bijapur on Jan 6 morning and his interrogation was underway, the official said.

Suresh Chandrakar's brothers Ritesh Chandrakar and Dinesh Chandrakar and supervisor Mahendra Ramteke have already been arrested in the case, he said.

Mukesh Chandrakar (33), a freelance journalist, went missing on Jan 1. His body was found on Jan 3 in a septic tank on a property owned by Suresh Chandrakar at Chattanpara Basti in Bijapur town, police earlier said.

The deceased worked as a freelance journalist for the NDTV news channel and also ran a YouTube channel, 'Bastar Junction', which has some 1.59 lakh subscribers.

A news report highlighting alleged corruption in a road construction work in Bijapur, that was shown on NDTV on December 25, is being discussed as the motive behind Mukesh Chandrakar's murder.

The said construction work was linked to contractor Suresh Chandrakar.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma had claimed that Suresh Chandrakar was a Congress leader. The opposition party, however, claimed the accused joined the ruling BJP recently.

Authorities have initiated action against the accused's illegal properties and encroachments. A construction yard built by Suresh Chandrakar after usurping forest land along the Bijapur-Gangaloor Road has been razed, local officials had said.

Police have also started the process to freeze the bank accounts of Suresh Chandrakar and other accused. So far, three accounts of Suresh Chandrakar have been put on hold.

Mukesh Chandrakar had played a crucial role in the release of CoBRA commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas from Maoist captivity in April 2021 following the Takalguda Naxal ambush in Bijapur in which 22 security personnel were martyred.

The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) is a specialized jungle warfare unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Members of the Mahar community on Sunday took out a candle march here to condemn the journalist's murder and demanded capital punishment for the accused.

On Jan 4, journalists held a protest at the Raipur Press Club, demanding strict action against the accused.

(PTI)